In Short: Feb. 21-27, 2013

ByStaff reports

Black History Month poetry event

Crystal Good will perform from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Culture Center Theater in a free multimedia poetry event in celebration of Black History Month. Good is an Affrilachian (Appalachian African-American) poet, whom journalist and author Jeff Biggers called "Appalachia's future poet laureate" in his Huffington Post review of her book, "Valley Girl."

Fellow Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan will join her. Also, there will be some audience participation. Good said, "I like my readings to be interactive, like traditional African-American call and response."

Good and Jordan will sign copies of their books in a post-event reception. Call 304-558-0220.

Country concert tickets on sale

Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday for three country concerts: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Willie Nelson. They are available through Ticketmaster at 304-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Bryan plays March 24 at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown with Thompson Square and Florida Georgia Line. Tickets range from $35.75 to $75.75.

Aldean plays April 18 at the Civic Center with Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett and Dee Jay Silver. Tickets are $28.75 and $54.75.

Prices do not include Ticketmaster or venue fees.

River City Youth Ballet

The River City Youth Ballet Ensemble will perform "Coppelia (The Toymaker's Workshop)" and an abbreviated version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at 7 p.m. Friday at the Clay Center. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 10 and under. For tickets, call 304-561-3570 or visit www.theclaycenter.org. For more information, call 304-925-3262.

Clay Center family fun day

The Clay Center's annual Discover Engineering family fun day runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can make a balloon-powered hovercraft, launch an Alka-Seltzer rocket and control a robotic arm.

There will also be demonstrations exploring robotics, aluminum boat building, alternative energy and more, as well as hands-on activities and displays by local engineering firms, colleges and universities. "Little Builders" in the Mylan Explore-atory examines the concepts of construction, motion and simple machines with interactive exhibits.

Activities are included in gallery admission of $7.50 for adults and $6 for children. Film and planetarium shows cost extra. Call 304-561-3570 or visit www.theclaycenter.org.

Eco-bead workshop

Unity of Kanawha Valley, 804 Myrtle Road, will host an eco-bead party from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Sherri Walker will teach participants how to make jewelry out of recycled magazines, ads and catalogs.

Each person will leave with a completed bracelet. He or she may participate in a short prayer or meditation for each bead.

FullSet performs in a FOOTMAD concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Culture Center Theater. The young sextet from Ireland plays traditional Irish music.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. Children under 13 are admitted free. Call 304-415-3668 or visit www.footmad.org.

Kanawha Players auditions

The Kanawha Players will hold auditions for "The Sugar Bean Sisters" from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Kanawha Players Theater, 309 Beauregard St.

In this comedy, two Florida sisters are determined to escape spinsterhood by hopping the next spaceship out of town, and they're not going to let the arrival of a snake charmer, Mormon bishop or mysterious bird woman stand in their way.

Roles are available for one male age 50-65 and four females age 50-70. (This is the age you feel you look or can reasonably look with makeup.) Scripts will be provided for a cold reading.

The show, directed by Naomi Carder, will be staged April 19-21 and 26-27. Call 304-343-7529 or visit www.kanawhaplayers.org.

Montclaire String Quartet

The Montclaire String Quartet will perform "The Kreutzer Sonata" at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Erma Byrd Gallery at the University of Charleston. The program features the title piece by Leos Janacek (based on Tolstoy's eponymous short story) as well as pieces by Beethoven and Bach.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for students and children. Call 304-561-3570 or visit www.wvsymphony.org.

Stage Company auditions

Charleston Stage Company will hold additional auditions for the ensemble monologue show "Love, Loss and What I Wore" at 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday at the Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers St. Cast size is flexible, and roles are available for women of all ages.

The comedy is by Nora and Delia Ephron, adapted from Ilene Beckerman's book of the same name. It's a compilation of tales about clothing and the memories and events they stir.

The Alban Arts Academy in St. Albans is enrolling for its spring 2013 semester, which starts Tuesday. Classes are in visual and performing arts, including acting, improv, stage makeup, screenwriting, painting and sculpture.

Tuition is $200 per class for a 12-week semester. For specific class information or to register, visit www.albanartscenter.com or call 304-721-8896.

FestivALL art fair

The final postmark deadline for the 2013 FestivALL Capitol Street Art Fair is March 1. The juried fair, held June 29-30, is dedicated to fine art and craft.